


Ink and Steel

by HSavinien



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Nwalin Week, Rituals, Tattoos, Traditions, no cops nwalin week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:46:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25679833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HSavinien/pseuds/HSavinien
Summary: Dwalin has the mountains under her skin.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	Ink and Steel

The sting of inked steel blooms slowly into prickling warmth along Dwalin’s shoulderblade. She presses her forehead into the soft leather of the chair, with the quick prick-pause-prick of Nori’s fingers behind her a steadying force as the pain fizzes into pleasure. 

Dwalin hums the song for ink on skin and Dori’s voice laps over her, adding the words to her humming. Ori’s quiet grinding in the background adds a wavering, shussshhhing undernote, as he prepares more ink for Nori. 

The ink needs to be as fresh as possible, for the blood of the mountain to mix well with the blood of the dwarf getting the ink, lava rock crushed into powder, then mixed with water from the deep springs. Nori pauses for Dori to pour cool water over the work and wipe away the blood. Dwalin takes a deep breath, savoring the chill, like quiet caves after the baking sun. 

“Keep quiet now,” Nori warns, and takes up the hum in a higher key, matching Dori’s cadence. It's ritual, but not religion, the tune and words old as the practice.

Dwalin obeys and breathes like stone instead, keeping still for the delicate work over her spine. The remembrance of lost friends and family will be joined with the story of new lives and triumphs. The blood of Erebor lives under her skin from her earliest days and now Nori and their siblings add the stone of the Dwarrowdelf and the Blue Mountains.

Before she dies, Dwalin plans to carry all the mountains of Mahal's children in her body. 

Ori's grinding stops. Nori finishes the last burning line of ink, quieting as they set the needle aside with a clink. Dori pours cool water across her skin and wipes it clean again, the last syllable of the song turning to a drone, then fading to stillness. 

All four of them sit for a moment, breathing. 

Dwalin lifts her head and checks over her shoulder in the silver mirror Nori holds up. A line of black like a shout stands out from her left shoulderblade across the dip of her spine.  _ We are still here. We will not burn. We are alive. _ The span to her right shoulder waits. Her story isn't finished yet. 


End file.
